therealljidol Week 5 Prompt: Oubaitori -- 440 words

[murielle]

 therealljidol Week 5 Prompt: Oubaitori -- 440 words

 

His mother’s favorite song was released in 1965 by a band from across the ocean. She loved it. She sang it all the time.

 

On the morning he was born she sang it all the way through the delivery, bellowing brokenly at the top of her lungs when the contractions tried to rip her insides out and softly when she barely had a breath. By the time he came into the world everyone in the delivery room was singing it too.

 

She sang it as she nursed him, holding him tenderly, gently brushing his hair from his damp little brow, gazing into his eyes. And when he was teething and everything hurt his little soul she’d place her lips against his fevered cheek and whisper-sing it till his sobs became hiccups and his body molded into hers and he eventually drifted into exhausted sleep.

 

When the bumps and bruises of a world that could never be as comfortable or safe as her arms no matter how hard she tried to make it so, comfort came through the familiar as he joined in and sang along with baby-lisped words, eyes huge with hurt and trust.

 

Throughout the trials of growing and trying and failing she’d wrap her arms around him and say, “It’s not your season, yet, Buddy. Keep doing your best and someday it will be your time.” And then she’d sing the song.

 

Sometimes he’d storm out of the room, “You just don’t get it, Mom!”

 

Sometimes he’d stay and let her finish before he’d sigh and say, “Yeah, maybe.”

 

One time he informed her that her favorite song wasn’t original. It had all been written out a few thousand years before by some old king.

 

“Really? Cool.” And of course, she then sang it all the way through and he laughed.

 

“Yeah, cool.”

 

As the years tumbled into decades, and he went from little league to college and career and marriage and fatherhood, the song still featured in his life as his mom sang it to his children and they sang it to him.

 

On the day he laid her to rest it was the last song those who knew and loved her sang together around her grave, through their smiles and their tears and their fondest memories.

 

And as the years turned, he sang it to his grandchildren and his great grandchildren, and they in turn sang to their own little ones. Each generation in its turn shared the words and the melody of a song sung by a band from across the ocean and written by some old king.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4

Comments

[muchtooarrogant]

Very nice. I wasn't sure what the song would be until the very end when I followed the link.

Dan

[murielle]

Thank you, Dan. I knew it was the song for the prompt the minute I looked up the definition.

Thank you so much for your kind words. <3

[adoptedwriter]

They quoted this at my uncle’s funeral. (1987) Thats when I learned this was more than just a 60s pop song. I fell in love with it. I jammed to it when my aunt passed in 2013. I love this tune. It's part of my writing play list.

[murielle]

I'm so glad it brought back loving memories for you. I was ten when it came out and I think it's been on my internal playlist ever since.

Thank you so much for your kind words. <3

[chasing_silver]

I love that song, and this entry. <3 I have taken great comfort in those verses, though I am not religious. I love the "circling" life does.

[murielle]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you love the song too.
Thank you for your very kind words. <3

[halfshellvenus]

I was wondering if this was the song you were going for. Though, when I think of a song, I usually think more about the melody, so I was puzzling over that. "Wait, when was Pete Seeger ever a king?" ;)

I see it as a song about forbearance and the cycle of life, and those are helpful words for just about anyone.

[murielle]

I didn't realize that Pete Seeger wrote the song, Turn Turn Turn. It makes sense, but he wasn't the first to pen the words. ;-)

And yes, it is a song for everyone.

Thank you for your kind words. Always appreciated.

[bleodswean]

What a wonderful way to tie generations together - all through the voice of one woman! And YES to that particular song!

[murielle]

Thank you SO much, E. Your words mean so very much to me. Thank you. <3

[roina_arwen]

This is a very sweet entry. I too love the idea of a song tying generations together.

[murielle]

Thank you, SO much for your kind words.

The thing about that song is that it seems timeless like it could tie generations together. <3

[erulissedances]

Oh, I LOE that song! It always brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for bringing back memories to me as well.

- Erulisse (one L)

[murielle]

Thank you so much! I love it too and have since I first heard it. Thank you for your kind words. :-)

[fausts_dream]

Cool time and a cool entry, enjoyed.

[murielle]

It was, though I was a bit young to fully appreciate it. Thank you so much! :-)

[mollywheezy]

I guessed the song correctly at the line, "It's not your season yet." ;) And I LOLed at written by some old king. Very true. :) Loved this!

[murielle]

Thank you so much! I hoped someone would get a chuckle out of that. It's the kind of thing I might have said as a teen, though my mom would have known...and maybe this mother did too. Thank you, for your kind words. <3

[rayaso]

What a wonderful entry, full of emotion. I loved the way it progressed, and of course the song. Great work, as always!

[murielle]

Thank you, G! And happy belated! <3

[banana_galaxy]

Wow, I had no idea about that history with the song. I appreciated you sharing what the song was at the end too, because I was getting very curious. I like learning about people's attachments to songs and this kind of story.

[murielle]

Thank you so much! I'm glad it aroused your curiosity and that you enjoyed it. My work is done. ;-)

Really I appreciate your kindness so much! <3

[xeena]

I love this and how you tied all the generations into the connection of the one song. Such a great song too! <3

[murielle]

Thank you so much! ☺️
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and the song. ❤

[drippedonpaper]

I miss singing for my kids. And then for "my" daycare kids.

Life is a song. With all kind of notes and rests and harmonies. Thank you for reminding me of how musical life can be if we but listen.

[murielle]

Yes! And the little ones are so captured by the singing and the songs.

Thank you for your very kind comment. <3

[reidharriscooper]

I am curious of the he in this. Obviously they were born in Wales or Scotland or maybe France or maybe Germany or maybe New Zealand? I don't know. I sort of want to know. I'd love to know how the song became part of the mom's brain patter. Also, if anyone in the family ever researched that the old king may have no actually written the words.

[murielle]

I'll do my best. My brainchildren become orphans after the story is written.

I was born in Scotland, but I was thinking that this woman and her son (he) were born on this side of the Atlantic. But I just checked and The Byrds were from California, so I blew that.

Like most songs back in the day they were heard on the radio first.

In my mental theatre, teenagers often hear snippets of things and report them as fact, especially to get one over on their parents.

Did that help? :-)

[reidharriscooper]

Your brain musta confused The Yardbirds or maybe even The Birds with The Byrds, which i can easily understand. When a song becomes the thing, understanding who did especially when there were three 60s bands using a Birds name, how would anyone but someone like me know the difference. They wouldn't and they'd just create a well written memory of how the song travelled through the family. :D

[murielle]

You are a gentleman and a scholar, Reid. And also very generous. <3

[inkstainedfingertips]

This is beautiful. Sad but beautiful. And I love that song.

[murielle]

Thank you so much! It is such a beautiful song. <3

[inkstainedfingertips]

It really is.

[alycewilson]

Great song, Wonderful details in this thoughtful piece.

[murielle]

Thank you so much, Alyce! <3